Apparatus for compressing and assembling coiled springs



Sept. 2, 1930. H. CHAPMAN 1,774,545

APPARATUS FOR COMPRESSING AND ASSEMBLING COILED SPRINGS Filed Novl2, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 lllllllLbwFvlLl Nw. mm. NR. RN

.W @m @y A Sept. 2, 1930. l f-| CHAPMAN 1,774,545

- APPARATUS FOR COlIPRES-SING vAND ASSENBLING COILED SPRINGS Filed Nov. 12, 1928 4Sheots5heet 2 Sept. 2, 1930. H. CHAPMAN 1,774,545

APPARATUS FOR COMPRESSING AND ASSEMBLING COILED SPRINGS Filed Nov. 12, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 jme/YZ0? .J7-kaf@ f ap/216212 4:. l Q

Sept.. 2, 1930. H. CHAPMAN 1,774,545

APPARATUS FOR COMPRESSING AND ASSEMBLING GOI'LEDSPRINGS Patented Sept. 2, 1930 UNITEDY STATES PATENT OFFICE HARRY CHAPMAN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO CHAPMAN BROTHERS, F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS APPARATUS FOR COMPRESSING AND ASSEMBLING COILED SPRINGS Application filed November 12, 1928. Serial No. 318,830.

This invention relates to improvements in apparatusxfor compressing and assembling coiled springs/and which springs are particularly adapted, though not necessarily limited in their. use, for insertion intopockets formed in cushions, mattresses and the like, for receiving and holding them in a manner that they will readily collapse or be compressed when a weight is placed upon the cushion, such as a person sitting or lyingy thereon, and will readily expand when the person arises or the weight is removed, at the same time the springs when placed in the cushion will be held against displacement with respect thereto.

A further object is to provide improved means whereby the springs maybe compressed in a horizontal position and then turned to a vertical position to facilitate the f handling of the springs as well as their insertion into the pockets, means being provided to prevent the springs from flying back or out of the machine during the operation of the machine.

To the attainment of these ends and the'accomplishment of other new and useful ob# jects as will appear, the invention consists in the features of novelty in substantially the construction, combination and arrangement of the several parts hereinafter more fully described and claimed and shown in the accompanying drawings illustrating this invention, and in which- Figure 1 is a top plan view of a machine of this character constructed in accordance with the principles of'this invention, with parts broken away and parts omitted and showing a spring in position to be compressed.v

Figure 2 is a detail sectional view of the rear portion of the machine and as taken on line 2-2, Figure 3.

Figure 3 is a sideelevation of Figure 1. Figure t is an irregular sectional view taken on line 4 4., Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a sectional View taken on line 5 5, Figure 3. v

Figure 6 is a sectional View taken on line 6 6, Figure 3.

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken on line 7--7, Figure 3.

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 9, showing the parts in a different position.

Figure 9 is a vertical sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken online 9- 9, Figure 1, with the parts in different .positions from the positions shown in Figure 8.

Referring more particularly to the drawings the numeral designates a supporting structure preferably in the form of a table or platform having supported adjacent the front end thereof a hopper 16 which is preferably semi-circular in cross-section and is supported at an elevation above the platform by means ofk supports 17. The front of the hopper is open and reciprocable across the open end of the hopper is a vertically movable plunger 18, the lower edge thereof being cut away orshaped as shown in Figure 6. In front of the plunger is aguide 2O which co-l operates with the front edge of the hopper to form a space within which the plunger'18 reciprocates.

The plunger is of a width preferably slightly greater than the width of the guide 2O and portions of the edges of the plunger are bent around the guide 20 as at 21 so as to Y hold the plunger against displacement and direct it in its vertical movement.

A spring 22 is connected by one end as at 23 with the plunger `and by its other end to an arm 24, the spring tending normally to raise the plunger. j

' The lower end of the guide 2O is bent or deflected forwardly as at ,25 and co-opertes with a forwardly projection portion 26 on the platform or support 15, and above which extension 26 the deflected portionrof the guide is spaced soas to Aform a gradually reduced passageway 27 into and through which the compressed springs are forced. Spaced parallel members 28-,29 are arranged adjacent the i' passageway 2,7 to receive and hold the cornpressed spring in a compressed condition.

Reciprocable within the hopper 16 is a plunger 30 which has connected with it a plunger rod 31 that passes loosely through a guide 32 which is mounted upon the base or platform 15,.

A member 33is slidably mounted upon the support 15 and is provided with an upright portion 34 through which the plunger rod 31 freely passes, and interposed between the portion 34 of the member 33 and the plunger 30 is a coil spring 35. An additional coi] spring 36 encompasses the plunger rod 31 and is disposed between the guide 32 and the upright portion of the member 33. One end of the spring 36 is adapted to abut a pin or proj ection 37 on the plunger rod.

The member 33 is adapted to be reciprocated forwardly and backwardly upon the support 15 in a manner to be later described, and the spring 35 is of such a length that when the parts are in the position shown in Figure 1, the ends of the spring will abut the plunger 30 and the portion 34 of the member 33 at a time when the plunger 30 is at substantially the limit of its rearward movement. At this same time the ends of the spring 36 will abut the pin or projection 37 on the plunger rod 31 and also the portion 34 of the member 33, as shown in Figures 1, 3 and 4.

Vhen the member 33--34 starts to move forwardly from the position shown in Figures 1 and 3, the movement of the member 33--34 will be transmitted to the plunger 30 through the medium of the spring 35 and the plunger rod 31 will move freely through the guide 32. It will therefore be manifest that the operating mechanism for the plunger 30 will be vicldingly connected with the plunger 30 through the medium of the spring 35 so as to permit the plunger 30 to yield with respect to the member 33-34 whenever occasion may require.

lVhen the member 33-34 is moved rearwardly, and inasmuch as the spring 35 is disconnected from the member 33-34 and the plunger 30, the spring 36 serves as the connecting means for moving the plunger rearwardly as the pressure of the member 33-34 will be upon the spring 36 which in turn operates upon the pin or projection 37 connected with the plunger rod.

Thus it will be seen that upon a reciprocation of the member 33-34 the plunger 30 will be movedforwardly and bacltwardly.

Any suitable means may be provided for reciprocating the member 33-34, and to that end there is provided a link 38 which is pivotally connected as at 39 to a bracket 40 which is connected with and depends below the member 33-34. The other end of the link is provided with a series of openings 41 by means of which the link may be adjustably connected as at 42 with a pulley 43 rotatably supported as at 44 and which pulley may be rotated in any suitable manner, preferably by means of a plate 45 driven from any suitable source of power, not shown.

The coil springs 46, as they are taken from the coiling machine, are dropped into the hopper 16 in a horizontal position. The plunger 30 is then advanced until it enga-ges one end of the spring to move the spring through the open end of the hopper until the forward end of the spring contacts with the guide 20. At this time in the operation of the device the plunger 18 will be elevated to the position shown in Figure 3, A further movement of the plunger 30 in a forward direction will compress the spring and as the spring is completely compressed it will assume a position directly beneath the plunger 18 so that when the plunger 18 is then lowered, and the plunger 30 is in the position shown in Figure 8, the compressed spring will be forced by the plunger 18 out of the hopper and into the space between the forward end of the hopper and the guide 20. The plunger 30 is then retracted and the plunger 18 elevated.

The plunger 18 may be lowered in any desired or suitable manner preferably by means of a double faced cam 47, one of which is preferably provided on each side of the hopper 16. To each of these cam members is connected a bar or rod 48 which passes through a suitable guide 49, projections 50-51 being provided on the rod 48 on opposite sides of the guide 49. A coil spring 52 is interposed between the projection 51 and the guide 49 which tends to retract the cam members 47.

Connected with the plunger 18 and adjacent each of the cam members 47 is a roller 53. Similar rollers 54 are adjustably mounted as at 55 upon suitable supports 56. These rollers 54 are arranged parallel with the rollers 53 and the spring 22 which tends to raise the plunger 18 will cause the rollers 53 to move in close proximity to and beneath the rollers 54. The cam members 47 are adapted to be forced between the respective co-operating rollers 53-54 thereby lowering the plunger 28 against the stress of the spring 22. As the cam members 47 are withdrawn, the spring 22 will raise the plunger In order that the cam members 47 may be withdrawn from between the rollers 53-54 to permit the plunger 18 to rise under the influence of the spring 22, the springs 52 should be of a greater strength than the spring 22.

The cam members 47 are forced between the rollers 53 and 54 by means of the portion 34 of the member 33 which engages the ends of the rods 48 just at the time that the spring 46 is fully compressed by the plunger 30 so that the plunger 18 will be lowered and the coil spring will be forcedinto the position shown in-Figure 8.

When the plunger 30 is retracted the portion 34 of the member 33 will be moved away from the ends of t-he rod 48 and the springs 52 will withdraw the cam members 47 from between the rollers to the position shown in Figure 3.

In order to prevent the spring 46, after it has been compressed, see Figure 8, from flymedium of a fastening device 6 9. The other ing out of the machine when the plunger 18 is raised, any suitable means may be provided for holding the spring against such action. To that end a projection 57 (see also VFigure 8) may be provided which extends over a portion of the spring. The spring being yieldable, the projection 57 will not interfere with the movement of the spring by the plunger 18.

The support is provided with a slot 58 beneath. the space 27 and rotatably mounted upon a shaft 59, suitably supported, is a toothed wheel 60, the teeth of which may be of any desired length and the sides of each tooth are inclined as at 61 and converge towards the periphery of the member, the eX- tremity 62 of each tooth being preferably cut away so that it will not hook or engage the convolutions of the compressed spring dur ing the rotation of the member 60, as shown more clearly in Figure 9.

Any number of these teeth may be provided and the teeth are of such a length that they will be successively projected through the slot 58 so as to enga-ge the compressed spring when the latter is held in a horizontal position, see Figure 8, to move the compressed spring from the position shown in Figure 8 to the position shown in Figure 9. The inclined faces 61 of the teeth 60 facilitate in the turnin g and advancingoftheccmpressed spring. When the tooth 60 engages the compressed spring 63 and as it moves it from the position shown in Figure 8 to the position shown in Figure 9, the tooth will enter the spring and by the time the spring is turned from its horizontalto the vertical position the tooth will be in such a position with respect to the spring that one of the faces 61 will engagethe inside periphery of the compressed spring to advance it through the space 29. It will be noted that when one of the teeth 60 entersthe compressed spring 63 to turn it (see Figure 9) the neXt tooth will engage the outer edge of the compressed spring to advance it as shown in Figure 8, and as the compressed springs pass into the spaced guides 28-29, they will be advanced by each other. The portion of the guide 2O is also provided with a slot so as not to interfere with the operation of the teeth 60.

Intermittent motion may be imparted to the toothed member 60 in any desired or suitable manner, preferably by means of `a pawl 64 which is pivotally supported as at 65 upon an arm 66, which latter is loosely mounted upon the shaft 59. The'other end of the arm 66 may be provided with openings 67 by means of which it may be adjustably connected with the end of a link 68 through the end of the link 68 is pivotally connected as at 7 0 with the bracket 40. A spring 71 is connected with thepawl V64 and also with the arm `66 andtendsnormally tolhold the pawl 64 in a position to engage the shoulders 72 formed on the ratchet member 73.

Thus it will be seen that when the member 33 is reciprocated Vby means of the link 38 and disc or pulley 43, the arm 66 will be oscillated and through the medium of the paWl and ratchet connection 611-73 the toothed member 60 will be given an intermittent step of rotation.

The guides 28 and 29 may be so shaped as to permit a pocket to be sleeved thereover so that the foremost compressed spring may be forced into the pocket by Vmeans of the succeeding springs. These guides 28-29 may also be of a shape that their width will be less than the diameter of the compressed spring, thereby allowing portions of the periphery of the compressed spring to project beyond the sides of the guide so that the operator may grasp the compressed spring after it has been inserted in the pocket and withdraw the same with the pocket from the guides 28-29. j

The rollers 54 are adjustably mounted so as to vary the degree of movement ofthe plunger 18 under the influence of the cam members 47 and the spring 35 forming the connecting means between kthe reciprocable member 33-34 and thev plunger is of such a length that the plunger will be forced to the limit of its forward movement when the member 8S-34 is at the limit. of its `forward movement, and at the same time thespring will yield to permit the plunger 30 to yield under abnormal conditions.

The lower edge of the plunger 18 is shaped as indicated by the reference character'19 so as to conform to the contour of the compressed spring 63V and thereby `not only prevent injury to the compressed spring but also prevents the convolutions ofthecompressed spring from bulging laterally while the spring is being handled and serves vas a means j for maintaining the convolutions in the same plane.

`While the preferred form of the invention has been herein shownand described, it is to be understood that various changes may be made in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement ofthe severalparts, within the scope of the claims, without departing from the spirit of this invention.

What is claimed as new is 1. An apparatus of the character described embodying a hopper in which thecoil spring is compressed, a guideway forreceiving and holding the spring compressed, means for forcing the vcompressed spring from the hopper and positioning thesame adjacent said guideway, and means for engaging the compressed spring for turning and forcing the same into the said guideway.

2. An apparatus of the character described embodying a hopper in which the @Oil ,Spring Eli is compressed While the aXis of the spring is at an angle to the vertical, al guideivay for receiving the compressed spring and for maintaining the same compressed, means for forcing the compressed spring from the hopper and positioning the same adjacent the guideivay and While the axis of the spring is maintained at an angle to the vertical, and means for engaging and turning the compressed spring so that its axis will be vertical and for forcing the same when it is so turned, into the said guidetvay.

3. An apparatus of the character described embodying a hopper in which the coil spring is compressed, a gnideivay for receiving and holding the spring compressed, means for forcing from the hopper spring after it has been compressed in the hopper and positioning the same adjacent said guideway, means for engaging the compressed spring and forcing the same into the said guidetvay, and posi.- tive means for holding the spring against retrograde movement when it is forced from the hopper.

4. An apparatus of the character described embodying a hopper in which the coil spring is compressed While the axis of the spring is at an angle to the vertical, a guidevay for receiving the compressed spring a d for maintaining the same compressed, means operatin g after the spring has been compressed in the hopper, for forcing the compressed spring from the hopper and positioning the same adjacent the guideway and While the axis of the spring is maintained at an angle to the vertical, means for engaging and turning the compressed spring so that its axis Will be vertical and for forcing the same vvhen it is so turned, into the said guideway, and means for holding the spring against retrograde movement when it is forced from the hopper.

5. An apparatus of the character described embodying a hopper in which the coil spring is compressed, a guideivay for receiving and holding the spring compressed, means for forcing from the hopper spring after it has been compressed in the hopper and for positioning the same adjacent said guidevvay, means for engaging the compressed spring and forcing the same into the said guideway, and a projection under Which a portion of the compressed spring engages when it is forced from the hopper to hold the spring against retrograde movement.

6. An apparatus of the character described embodying a hopper for holding the spring to be compressed, a plunger for compressing the spring therein, means operating` transversely of the hopper for ejecting the compressed spring therefrom, a guideivay for receiving the compressed spring and for holding it compressed and through which guideivay the compressed spring is freely movable, and means for engaging the compressed spring for turning and forcing the same into said guideway after it has been ejected from the hopper.

7. An apparatus of the character described embodying a hopper for holding the spring to be compressed, a plunger for compressing the spring therein, means operating transversely of the hopper for ejecting the compressed spring therefrom, a guidevvay for receiving the compressed spring and for holding it compressed and through which guide- Way the compressed spring is freely movable, and means for engaging the compressed spring and turning the same so that its aXis will be in a different plane and then forcing the compressed spring into the said guideway.

8. An apparatus of the character described embodying a hopper in which the coil spring is compressed While the axis of the spring is at an angle to the vertical, a guideivay for receiving the compressed spring and for maintaining the same compressed, means for forcing the compressed spring from the hopper and positioning the same adjacent the guideway and While the axis of the spring is maintained at an angle to the vertical, means for engaging and turning the compressed spring so that its axis Will be vertical and for forcing the same when it is so turned, into the said guideway, and means for intermittently operating the last said means.

9. ./in apparatus of the character described embodying a hopper for holding the spring to be compressed, a plunger for compressing the spring therein, means operating transversely of the hopper for ejecting the compressed spring therefrom, a guideway for receiving the compressed spring and for holding it compressed and through Which guideway the compressed spring is freely movable, means for engaging and turning the compressed spring and for forcing it into said guidevvay after it has been ejected from the hopper, and means for intermittently actuating the last recited means.

l0. An apparatus of the character described embodying a hopper for holding the spring to be compressed, a plunger for compressing the spring therein, means operating transversely of the hopper for ejecting the compressed spring therefrom, a guidevvay for receiving the compressed spring and for holding it compressed and through which guidetvay the compressed spring is freely movable, and a rotatable toothed member for turning said spring and for forcing the compressed spring into the said guidevvay after it has been ejected from the hopper, the compressed spring engaging over the toothed member to be propelled thereby.

11. An apparatus of the character described embodying a hopper for holding the spring to be compressed, a plunger for compressing the spring therein, means operating transversely of the hopper for ejecting the compressed spring therefrom, a guideway for receiving the compressed spring and for holding it compressed and through which guideway the compressed spring is freely movable, a rotatable member having teeth provided with inclined surfaces for engaging and turning the compressed springs to position them adjacent and force them into said Ilguideway, and means for rotating said mem- 12. An apparatus of the character described embodying a hopper in which the coil spring is compressed, a plunger reciprocable in the hopper for compressing the spring, a second plunger operable transversely of the hopper for ejecting the spring while it is compressed, means responsive to the operation of the lirst said plunger and operating upon the second said plunger to render the latter active, a guideway, and means for engaging the compressed spring after it is ejected from the hopper by the second recited plunger for forcing the compressed spring into the said guideway.

13. An apparatus of the character described embodying a hopper in which the coil spring is compressed, a plunger reciprocable in the hopper for compressing the spring, a second plunger operable transversely of the hopper for ejecting the spring while it is compressed, means responsive to the operation of the iirst said plunger and operating upon the second said plunger to render the latter active, a guideway, means for engaging the compressed spring after it is ejected from the hopper by the second recited plunger for forcing the compressed spring into the said guideway, and additional means for rendering the second recited plunger inactive.

14. A machine of the character described embodying a hopper in which the coil spring isA compressed, a plunger reciprocable in the hopper, means for reciprocating the plunger, a second plunger movable transversely of the hopper for ejecting the compressed spring therefrom, a cam device for rendering the second recited plunger active, and means connected with the iirst recited plunger for engaging and actuating the said cam device during the reciprocatory movement of the rst said plunger.

15. A machine of the character described embodying a hopper in which the coil spring is compressed, a plunger reciprocable in the hopper, means for reciprocating the plunger, a second plunger movable transversely of the hopper for ejecting the compressed spring therefrom, a cam device reciprocable with the First said plunger for operation upon the second recited plunger to render the latter active, means responsive to the movement of the first recited plunger in one direction for moving the said cam in one direction, and means operating upon the cam for moving it in the opposite direction when the last recited means is inactive with respect to the cam.

16. An apparatus of the character described embodying a hopper for receivin the coil spring, a plunger reciprocable in theopper for compressing the spring, an additional plunger reciprocable transversely of the hopper for ejecting the compressed spring, a shoulder carried with the second recited plunger, a stationary shoulder, means for causing the said shoulders to stand in proX- imity to each other, a cam element, and means for forcing said cam element between said shoulders for moving the second recited plunger in one direction.

17. An apparatus of the character described embodying a hopper for receiving the coil spring, a plunger reciprocable in the hopper for compressing the spring, an additional plunger reciprocable transversely of the hopper for ejecting the compressed spring, a shoulder carried with the second recited plunger, a stationary shoulder, means for causing the said shoulders to stand in proximity to each other, a cam element, means for forcing said cam element between said shoulders for moving the second recited plunger in one direction, and means for causing the cam element to move in the opposite direction to permit the second recited plunger to move under the influence of the first recited means.

18. An apparatus of the character described embodying a hopper for receivino' the coil spring, a plunger reciprocable in theliopper for compressing the spring, actuating mechanism, a yielding connection between said plunger and said actuating mechanism,

means for ejecting the compressed spring from the hopper, means for engaging, turning and advancing the compressed spring after it is ejected from the hopper, and means for actuating the last recited means.

19. An apparatus of the character described embodying a hopper for receiving the coil spring, a plunger reciprocable in the hopper for compressing the spring, actuating mechanism, a yielding connection between said plunger and said actuating mechanism, means for ejecting the compressed spring from the hopper, means for engaging, turning and advancing the compressed spring after it is ejected from the hopper, means for actuating the last recited means, the first recited means embodying a plunger, and means responsive to the operation of the first reci-ted plunger and automatically rendered active at predetermined times in the cycle of operation of the first said plunger for controlling the operation of the second recited lunger.

In testimony whereof have signed my name to this specification, on this 12th day of October, A. D. 1928.

HARRY CHAPMAN. 

